rator, Moses makes a word or two do the work of pictures. Nor is this word always an ἔπος πτερόεν—a word rolled together like a double star-but often a plain, unmetaphorical term, which quakes under the thought or scene it describes. The pathos or the grandeur, instead of elevating or kindling his language, levels and sinks it. His language may be called the mere transparent window through which the immeasurable calm'-the blue of immensity looks in." After this, we think no poet need despair. By the way, it has hitherto been considered by scholars, that Tegóεr, instead of "rolled together," means right the opposite, being derived ultimately from a verb which is used of a bird expanding its wings. One would suppose "the winged words" of Homer might have been understood by this time, at least that the expression has no reference to the metaphor. Perhaps Mr. Gilfillan was thinking of the swan that floats "double" on" still St. Mary's lake."

In the book of Job, the author finds a style which gives him less trouble than that of Moses, and he declares that the latter in comparison with the former is "like one severe feather compared to the outspread wing of an eagle." Job, it may be remarked, is "the Landseer of ancient poetry and something more." "That great painter seems, every one knows, to become the animal he is painting. So Job with the war horse swallows the ground with fierceness and rage; with behemoth moves his tail like a cedar; with the eagle smells the slain afar off and screams with shrill and far-heard joy." But Job could do some things that Landseer can not do. For we are told, "it may be questioned whether Landseer could or durst go down after Jonah into the whale or exchange souls with the mammoth or megatherium"-which it is implied Job would venture upon. But perhaps, Landseer may be pardoned for not exchanging souls at least with the megatherium, since he may never have. fallen in with a perfect specimen of that fossil.

But we can not pursue the footsteps of our author further. We are weary of hunting through figures for thoughts which elude the grasp, or if arrested, prove to be nothing but old familiar truths. There is scarcely a definite proposition in the volume. We are not aware that there is a single new interpretation a single explanation of any difficulty or a single important thought added to what was before well known. There is nothing but figures-figures

"Water-water, every where."

We have also another reason for not prosecuting farther the examination of this book. When the author comes to speak of

New Testament poetry, he introduces the subject in a way that is too painfully offensive even to be criticised. "We pass to speak of the Poetry of the Gospels and of that_transcendent Poet who died on Calvary;" and he thinks the chapter on the subject would more properly be designated, as "The Poetry of Jesus," than the "Poetry of the Gospels."

Mr. Gilfillan in writing this volume has sought among other objects to win men of genius to embrace the moral truths of Revelation by first leading them to look at the Bible as a work of genius; or as he otherwise expresses it, "to insinuate the lesson of eternal truth by that of infinite beauty." But in prosecuting this design, he has committed two very grave errors. He has spoken of men of genius too much as inspired men, and of inspired men too much as men of genius. We do not mean that he does not recognize the inspiration of the Scriptures and the distinctions arising from that fact, but that his habitual language seems to place men of genius all but in the class of inspired men. He speaks, for instance, of "the prophetic men among us as displaying rather the mood than the insight of prophecyrather a yearning after, than a feeling of the stoop of the descending God," and a like view is presented throughout the work. Now, if a writer, by a figurative use of language, chooses to speak of men of genius as inspired or prophetic, we do not object, but habitually to use this language as if in a literal sense and this in a manner so as to leave the impression that they are really prophets, really inspired, is a mischievous abuse of words. On the other hand, he has exaggerated the native talents of the writers of the Bible taken as a class. He has represented them to be men of preeminent genius beyond any that ever lived, so that if they had not been inspired they might have produced a Bible— a poem-which should far transcend all other human productions. We do not hesitate to say that this is a false representation of the case. It cannot be said with truth, that Matthew, or Mark, or Luke, or Peter, or James, for example, were men of genius. There are some other writers of the Bible who do not seem to have had any natural superiority over other men. Nor will the representation have the effect intended. No man of talent will be misled by such exaggerations, while it will only flatter the vanity of those who aspire to be "the prophetic men of the age.

Mr. Gilfillan appears to have been led into this view of the subject partly by his idolatry of genius and partly by his admiration of splendid writing. But it is unfortunate when any cause which is generally supported in any community is taken up by a popular writer-the temptation is so strong to make it a theme

for mere fine writing, since there will be little disposition to criticise with severity. How much has been written on the Reformation that will not stand the test of an historical scrutiny! How often has the American Revolution been made an exercise for empty declamation, in which the effort of the mind has been not to say what was just and true, but to search out something brilliant and rhetorical! The character of the Bible has saved it from being often treated in this way, but when it is done, it is offensive to all right feelings in the highest degree. We do not suppose that Mr. Gilfillan was conscious of any such attempt, but his whole work has made upon us that impression. In this case, too, the disgust is increased by the manner in which the author brings the writers of the Bible into comparison with uninspired writers. Who can be expected to endure a writer that can speak of Amos "as the Robert Burns of the prophets," and of Peter" as the Oliver Goldsmith of the New Testament?" It is from no desire to say anything harsh, but because it is the actual feeling we had in reading the book, that we pronounce it the poorest book, written by a man of talents, we ever read, not even excepting "Hervey's Meditations."

ART. IV. THE RESULTS OF MODERN MISSIONS, PERMANENT.

John Foster on Missions: with an Essay on the Skepticism of the Church. By JOSEPH P. THOMPSON, Pastor of the Broadway Tabernacle Church. New York: Edward H. Fletcher, 1851.

THIS work reproduces in a popular form two important publications. One is the noble discourse of John Foster on the Glory of the Age, or the Spirit of Missions, delivered thirty-three years ago, before the Baptist Missionary Society: the other is an essay on the Skepticism of the Church respecting the work of missions, by the Rev. Mr. Thompson, which appeared some years since in the Biblical Repository. The former has a kind of martial tone about it; as we read, we seem to hear the tread of embattled and bannered hosts, as with voices of victory, they press on to the conquest of the world. There is a beauty in its expression, and a strength in its reasoning, and a grandeur in its comprehensive view of the great work of missions, fitted to stir the soul, and to stimulate the faith of the militant Church. The latter, the pre

liminary essay, is preparatory to the discourse, and, by its timely utterances, is adapted to do great good, while it gives completeness to the book. Skepticism in regard to the missionary work is far too common: although not always expressed, it widely lurks throughout the Church. We hail truth which is fitted to dislodge it. The days of skepticism should be over, and they must be, before the work of the world's redemption will go forward as it ought. There is need now of faith, earnest, influential, universal faith.

Without entering upon any particular analysis or review of these treatises, we propose to consider a branch of the general subject of missions intimately connected with, and naturally suggested by, what is here before us: the decline of the earlier missions and the reasons for the belief in the permanent success of modern missions.

The spirit of missions is the spirit of Christianity. The work of missions is Christianity at work. There is nothing novel or modern in the principles which lie at the basis of our present missionary movements. They characterize the Gospel, its Founder, its Apostles, the universal Church, in the days of her purity and vigor. The Savior came forth from the Father to seek and to save the lost. The Apostles and early Christians went everywhere preaching the word. The Gospel has ever been aggressive, and the watchword of its friends has been "onward." In the face of obstacles, against the combined forces of the world and Satan, notwithstanding repulse and temporary defeat, the kingdom of the Redeemer has advanced towards its triumph. For man's salvation and God's glory there has been a vast expenditure of human resources and of divine energy. The wants of the world, the degraded condition of a fallen race, the exposure of the soul to endless perdition, together with the demands of God, have ever moved the sensibilities of Christian hearts, and prompted the toiling of Christian hands. The efforts which have been made, have been crowned with a success which has infinitely rewarded them. It would be hard to measure the salvation of a single soul, by mortal toils and sacrifices.

In the first ages of the Church interesting missionary labors were undertaken. Among the lost sheep of the house of Israel, the disciples of Christ labored under his personal superintend

ence.

After his ascension the Apostles applied themselves to the fulfillment of his last command, beginning at Jerusalem. In Samaria, throughout Asia Minor, in the proud cities of Greece, at Rome, far and wide in the Eastern world, they established churches, and gathered many converts from Judaism and Paganism. Through some centuries, the Gospel was introduced with

greater or less success into many lands, where, for a season, it maintained its foothold and accomplished its benign effects. From time to time, successful missionaries arose who bore among strange people, and distant nations, the tidings of salvation. From time to time, in the lapse of ages, particular portions of the Church became distinguished for their zeal in promoting the spread of the Gospel. During the first three centuries its triumphs were witnessed from India to Gaul, and from the shores of Britain to the confines of Ethiopia. Yet it is a melancholy fact, that over all those regions of the triumphs of the early churches, the dominion of Satan has for more than a thousand years been supreme. The lands where the Apostles proclaimed the gospel have for long centuries borne no fruits of the Apostolic labors. Deep darkness has brooded there. Long ago the light of the Cross waned before the pale glimmer of the waxing Crescent. And now in every place where Apostles toiled, and Martyrs died, there is need of Apostolic devotion and the Martyr's faith. Nay, already, from lands where Apostles' feet never trod, from lands which for many hundred years after their time lay enshrouded in original pagan darkness, devoted servants of Christ have gone forth and entered into their ancient labors. To the dwellers in India, our missionaries have proclaimed a crucified Savior. In Jerusalem they have enjoyed. Pentacostal seasons. Thence along the early track of the gospel, they have gone as the heralds of salvation. Where the ancient faith has long been forgotten-where the turbaned nations have bent under a degrading superstition on the sites of Apostolic churches they have planted anew the banners of the Cross. Syria hails again the light which gushed over her hills in the New Testament times. An American missionary, with the indomitable zeal and unfaltering faith of the great Apostle to the Gentiles, declares to the Athenians the unknown God whom they ignorantly worship. At Salonica, the Thessalonica of the New Testament, a young brother has recently fallen, in attempts to renew there "the work of faith and labor of love and patience of hope" which the Apostle commended in the Thessalonian Christians.

Passing on from those first centuries, we behold the same results following the efforts of succeeding times. Among the mountains of Koordistan, existed a church which as early as the fifth century, was one of the foremost in the extension of Christ's kingdom. Never have their zeal and indefatigable labor been surpassed. Among the fierce and barbarous nations around them, the Nestorians carried the words of life. Within the confines of China, their vigilant and toiling apostles planted the